Pliers



July 28, 1964 'L.'E. GRAPE 3,142,212

Filed Ma I 'ch 12, 1963 .INVENTOR.

L EONARD E. GRAPE United States Patent 3,142,212 PILIERS Leonard E.Grape, 11754 Moreno Ave, Lakeside, Calif. Fiied Mar. 12, 1963, Ser. No.264,616 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 81-3835) This invention relates generally topliers and particularly to pliers that are adjustable for grippingarticles of various sizes and shapes.

Background Pliers of various types are well known in the art. Pliers ingeneral are used for cutting or gripping. In some pliers, therelationship of the jaws is fixed; in others, the gap between the jawsis adjustable. In the adjustable type, the gap usually is adjusted insteps and the adjustment mechanism is relatively complicated andexpensive.

The instant invention is a continuously adjustable pair of pliers, theadjustment mechanism consisting simply of slidable cam and taperedsurfaces that may be adjusted with one hand.

Objects It is a principal object of this invention to provide a pair ofadjustable pliers having one jaw adjustably slidable along a shanktapered to inhibit inadvertent sliding thereon when the pliers aremanually clasped upon a work piece such as a nut.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a pair of slidablyadjustable pliers that may be adjusted with one hand.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pair of pliers thatmay be cheaply and rapidly assembled by slidably engaging the two plierelements.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a pair ofadjustable pliers in which the jaws remain parallel for all adjustmentsby means of unique cam action.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consistsin the novel combination and arrangement of elements as will behereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointedout in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings that form a materialpart of this disclosure, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation View of the pliers;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showing thepliers unlocked; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the lockingaction.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elementsand portions throughout the views of the drawing.

Detailed Description In the drawing, the instant invention comprisesfirst and second plier elements and 12. Element 10 includes curvedhandle portion 14 at one end, laterally extending, fixed jaw 16 at theother end, and tapered shank 18 between handle portion 14 and jaw 16.Tapered shank 18 is smaller at the jaw end and larger at the handle endto prevent inadvertent sliding of said second plier element in adirection away from said jaw 16 when the pliers are manually claspedupon a workpiece. Element 12 includes curved handle portion 20 at oneend, laterally extending, pivoted jaw 22 at the other end, and slottedportion 24 between handle portion 20 and jaw 22. Jaw

'ice

22 has a convex cam surface 26 opposite side 28 of tapered shank 18,while slotted portion 24 has a convex cam surface 30 opposite side 32 oftapered shank 18.

Flier elements 10 and 12 are assembled by inserting jaw 16 and shank 18into slotted portion 24-. When handle portions 14 and 20 are separatedas shown in FIGURE 3, cam surfaces 26 and 3d are disengaged from shank18 and element 12 may he slid along element It) to adjust the gapbetween jaws 16 and 22. When the desired adjustment is accomplished,handle portions 14 and 20 are gripped together and pivoted jaw 22 islocked in place as shown in FIGURE 4. Here pivoted jaw 22 is heldrigidly in place by the pressure of cam surfaces 26 and 3% on shank 18at locking points 34 and 36.

The relative shape of shank 18 and cam surfaces 26 and 3d are such thatlooking points 34 and 36 shift for each edjustment, and jaws 16 and 22are locked in parallel relationship for all adjustments. At the handleend tapered shank 18 is larger than slotted portion 24, preventingelement 12 from engaging the handle portion of element 10.

From the foregoing description, it is readily apparent that, by a uniquecombination of tapered and earn surfaces, the instant invention is acontinuously adjustable pair of pliers that may be easily manipulatedwith one hand.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the inventiondisclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scopeof the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to beconsidered illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. In a pair of pliers, the combination comprising:

a first element having a fixed jaw and a tapered shank with side wallsdiverging from said jaw; and

a second element having a pivoted jaw and a slotted portion, said jawand slotted portion having opposing convex cam surfaces, said taperedshank being slidably received between said cam surfaces for adjustingthe gap between said fixed and pivoted jaws and keeping said jawsparallel, said taper inhibiting inadvertent sliding of said secondelement along said shank in a direction away from said fixed jaw whensaid jaws are clamped upon a workpiece.

2. In a pair of pliers, the combination comprising:

a first element having a handle portion at one end, a laterallyextending, fixed jaw at the other end, and a tapered shank intermediatesaid handle portion and jaw, said shank being larger at the handle endand smaller at the jaw end; and

a second element having a handle portion at one end, a laterallyextending pivoted jaw at the other end, and a slot extending from saidpivoted jaw toward the second mentioned handle, said tapered shankextending through said slot, said pivoted jaw having a convex camsurface engaging one side of said shank, and said slot having a convexcam surface engaging the opposite side of said shank, said taperinhibiting inadvertent sliding of said second element along said shankin a direction away from said fixed jaw when said jaws are clamped upona workpiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A PAIR OF PLIERS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A FIRST ELEMENTHAVING A FIXED JAW AND A TAPERED SHANK WITH SIDE WALLS DIVERGING FROMSAID JAW; AND A SECOND ELEMENT HAVING A PIVOTED JAW AND A SLOTTEDPORTION, SAID JAW AND SLOTTED PORTION HAVING OPPOSING CONVEX CAMSURFACES, SAID TAPERED SHANK BEING SLIDABLY RECEIVED BETWEEN SAID CAMSURFACES FOR ADJUSTING THE GAP BETWEEN SAID FIXED AND PIVOTED JAWS ANDKEEPING SAID JAWS PARALLEL, SAID TAPER INHIBITING SAID SHANK IN ADIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID FIXED JAW WHEN SAID JAWS ARE CLAMPED UPON AWORKPIECE.